A security guard was injured during an armed robbery at a Belfast hospital yesterday, it has emerged.

Thieves struck as cash was being delivered by G4S to an ATM machine at the Royal Victoria Hospital at around 7.30am yesterday.

The incident took place close to the doors of the hospital's accident and emergency unit.

Sources at the hospital say up to £60,000 was taken during the heist.

It is understood a delivery guard was attacked and forced to hand over the cash after he was approached by two men armed with a handgun as he made a cash drop at the hospital.

The pair threatened the guard before making off in the direction of the Falls Road with what police described as “a large sum |of money”. Local Sinn Fein MLA Fra McCann condemned the robbery.

He said: “That's one of a number of robberies in west Belfast in the past week which indicates a serious increase in this sort of thing.

“Obviously the robberies need to be condemned and the people who carried out these robberies represent no-one in west Belfast.

“They are putting people's lives at risk and other people may end up unemployed because of their actions.

“The people who were robbed are providing a service and they are being threatened.

“There were people using the A&E and for this to happen in this location, in the confines of the RVH, is ridiculous.”

A spokesman for the PSNI said: “Anyone who witnessed the robbery or who noticed a dark-coloured VW Golf in the area of the hospital grounds or A&E set-down area, is asked to contact detectives at Grosvenor Road on 0845 600 8000, or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

A spokeswoman for security firm G4S said: “We can confirm that one of our couriers suffered minor injuries.

“We take any attack on our staff very seriously and are committed to maintaining their safety and that of the general public.

“G4S Cash Solutions (UK) continues to work closely with trade unions, the police, the Government and local communities to develop initiatives that will curtail the growing number of violent attacks that are taking place on the cash-in-transit industry.”